


happiness felt versus happiness given

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Class Differences, M/M, New York City, Philanthropy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 23:59:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/842929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruined plans leave Erik Lehnsherr with little to do in a grand home, except find a suitable book.</p>
            </blockquote>





	happiness felt versus happiness given

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my historical square on this **trope-bingo** mini card. It's really not Victorian, but Guilded Age, but there's no tag to differentiate. Betaed by **ninemoons42** , though at this point all mistakes are my own.

The books looked unassuming enough as Erik’s hand ghosted over the well-worn spines inside Xavier’s extensive library. He had yet to truly understand the scope of Xavier’s wealth, his time and his propensity towards taking in vagabonds.

Not that Erik thought of himself as one most of the time. He just wasn’t as wealthy or well-meaning as Xavier was. Xavier was a king among men in New York City: his power as a philanthropist and mogul well known across the seaboard and the still growing country. Xavier’s power had meant dinners with governors, mayors and even a few Presidential candidates, all keen on collecting something from the enigmatic barron who looked towards the changing century with wide eyes and not careful dredd.

But that was beside the point, currently. Xavier’s persona had little to do with Lehnsherr’s confinement in the man’s home.

As he stared at the spines again, his fingers still tracing patterns against the spines, thunder struck - loud and long - echoing all through the mansion jutting against Central Park that Xavier and his ward called home.

There was no way he was to go to his appointment downtown in this weather. With that fact set in stone, Erik went back to perusing the books, when he finally found a title that caught his attention.

Pulling it off the shelf, Erik walked towards one of the armchairs in the room and started to read.

*

The storm had not let up in the three hours that Erik had been casually reading his book, but just as the grandfather clock in the foyer struck six, Xavier walked into the room.

Erik kept his focus on the words, reading with practiced ease. He had read the book before - in the original French - but this translation was faithful enough.

_Humanity is not perfect in any fashion; no more in the case of evil than in that of good. The criminal has his virtues, just as the honest man has his weaknesses._

“Lehnsherr, dinner is about to be served, though you’re welcome to take it at your leisure if you’re too busy.”

Erik thought it was a careful ploy to keep him away from Xavier’s ward, as the young Miss Pryde was a small girl who was easily frightened.

“No, I have read this before. I will come back to it after dinner, if you don’t mind.”

Xavier nodded. “Not at all. Will you follow me?”

Erik put the book down and walked to follow Xavier into the dining room.

*

After dinner, Xavier had retired to help put Miss Pryde to bed, allowing Erik to return to his book. He had always found the book titillating, but in the nearly empty space of the library, his mind wandered through the details of Merteuil’s carefully constructed plan, just as his mind found Valmont’s ending more tragic than he had before.

Thinking through them both, Erik let everything else fall away, though his hands still gripped the book. Xavier coughed sometime later, and Erik startled - sitting up straighter and putting on his usual stony expression.

“Did you enjoy the book, Lehnsherr?”

“I’m not sure one is meant to enjoy all parts of _Les Liaisons Dangereuses_ , but it has given me food for thought today.”

“I see you are already as timid as a slave: you might as well be in love,” Xavier said instead of continuing the conversation in the manner Erik had expected.

“Why, Xavier, I have no idea why you would say such a thing.”

Xavier turned towards him, sauntering as he did, before he stood in front of Erik. “I believe you do, Lehnsherr. Now, promise me again that our tale shall not end with one of us dead.”

“Never, my dear Charles. Never. I am never one to argue with happiness felt rather than happiness given.”

“So it is my job to give you happiness?” Charles asked.

“Only if you wish to.” Erik stilled himself for Charles’ response, knowing enough that his lover had plans of his own.

Seconds passed before Erik felt his thighs being pulled away from they were, as Charles came to press himself gracefully against one of Erik’s thighs.

His mouth opened to say something, but was unable to respond before Charles’ lips were against his, welcoming and demanding in equal measure.

**Author's Note:**

> The quotations in here were all taken from the Goodreads page for the book, though they don't specify with translation.


End file.
